Strength
by NickWorth
Summary: Jaune Arc is expelled from beacon and is forced to follow a new path in life in a desperate attempt to gain the strength that he needs.
1. Begining

**Authors note:**

 **I am not really the type of guy to write fan fiction however I recently read a story titled; "Jaune Arc Expelled: A Different Path". This story has inspired me to explore this separate path (with a great amount of deviation of course). Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.**

 **PS: As I continue to write this story I will probably need a cover photo if anyone is willing to create one for me I would be happy to use your art.**

 **PPS** **: sorry my first attempt to upload this story was glitched, unfortunately I was in a rush because I was about to leave for sports and I copied it straight from google drive before running it through word so it would be compatible. Anyway enjoy.**

Jaune simply laid their slumped in his seat. Wallowing in his own sorrow while the near empty passenger ship lifted off. He had been expelled from beacon. As Jaunes stomach turned sour from the wretched swaying of the ship he couldn't help but replay that moment in his head.

 _Flash Back_

Jaune was walking peacefully through the halls, wearing a satisfied grin as he had finally mastered his combat stance. However his peace was short lived ; he soon heard a crackling voice echo throughout the halls.

"Jaune Arc Report to Ozpin's office immediately". Mustering his strength he quickly made his way to the headmaster's office, all the while deeply concerned at this unusual summoning. As Jaune was nearing the door he saw a sight that made his heart drop. walking through the door was Cardin Winchester. Upon seeing Jaune, Cardin formed a devilish smile, cruelty laced in every crevice of his face. As Cardin passed by he spoke words drenched in satire that only deepened Jaunes already growing anticipation: "Hey buddy, have fun in their".

Jaune didn't say a word, he simply slipped into the office only to face an expressionless Ozpin. "Jaune do you know why you are here" ozpin stated plainly.

"No sir, no idea at all" . The quivering in his voice was painfully apparent.

" I will get straight to the point , it has been brought to my attention that you have forged your transcripts in order to gain entry into Beacon. Although it pains me greatly to do so if you cannot provide me with a valid defense I will be forced to expel you."

 _End Flash back_

Shortly After that moment Jaune had completely broken down, what was he to do. lie again? No it was over, he was done. Jaune left beacon quickly without a word to anyone, his shame was to great. Jaune had quickly taken his belongings in a panicked frenzy and was on the next ship to Vale. Sure Ozpin had told him that he could reapply next year that he still had great potential, but Jaune knew better. It was over, his dreams were finished. While Jaune sat he cried his eyes out. His mumbled sorrows were shouted out for all the world to hear. "Why god, why couldn't I be stronger"!

"I am a failure, I've let down my ancestors, my father ,my mother, everyone WHO EVER DECIDE TO PUT THEIR TRUST IN JAUNE ARC! Why couldn't I have been stronger. I would do anything".

Jaune collapsed and began vomiting (curse his Air sickness). Slowly the only other passenger aboard approached him, a dark hooded figure with chilling blue eyes . The man spat out a question to the pitiful sight before him "Boy, do you mean it"?

Jaune who by this point was covered by tears and vomit looked up and dumbfoundedly replied "Mean what?"

The man looked at him with cold calculating eyes. " would you do anything to get stronger"?

Jaune sat their and thought for a short moment before speaking the truth between sobs "Yes, look at me. Do you even need to ask? All my life I've dreamed of being a hero: a protector. How am I supposed to do that when i'm so weak that I can't even stand."

The Man looked at Jaune, The faintest hint of a smile breaking through his neutral expression. This is exactly the kind of child he was looking for. "If you come with me I will make you stronger than you could ever dream" he stated in a deep even voice.

Jaune looked at him completely shocked and began an internal dialogue. "Who the heck is this guy, Why would he want to help me, is this creepy stranger really just asking me to drop everything and go with him. But then again If he is serious this could be my only option it's not like i'm going to get back into beacon and there is no way I can get strong by myself. I better just size up the situation".

Jaune spoke in a slightly intimidated voice as he looked up at the lean but strong figure that towered above him: "Why would you want to help me? And for what price?"

The man looked at him his face completely unreadable. Then he spoke in deep resounding voice that sent chills through jaunes spine: "Because I was like you once, lost in this wretched world. The price for the clarity that I have achieved and that you may yet obtain is everything. Your friends, Your family, and even your very mind. But in Return you will be made so strong that you will be able to protect the whole world".

Jaune waited there transfixed by the mysterious man who stood in front of him. As he pondered the weight of those resounding words he came to one conclusion. Jaune Arc would do whatever it took to become stronger. Jaune then spoke in shivering voice ;"I believe you, what now sir".

The man responded with his cold calculating voice: "Firstly you will clean yourself up, then you will return to me. From this point forward you will call me mentor and I will call you apprentice. You have joined my creed, your journey to greatness begins here".

Jaune quickly scurried to the airships restroom completely bewildered by what had just happened. He cleaned himself as quickly as he could manage eager to gain new strength and wisdom from his mentor. When he returned he found the man sitting in the corner gesturing for Jaune to sit by him. Jaune cautiously approached trying desperately to contain his curiosity. When he was roughly a few feet away from the man he decided to let the man know a little about him. after all they had just met and they were going to be together for some time: " by the way my name's Jaune Arc and I rea-".

Jaune was cut off as his mentor raised a hand. He then Began to speak with that cold unfeeling tone: "Apprentice you have just made a grave mistake. Everyone you love could die because of your actions".

Jaune stood there for a second before panicking: "what the heck did I do, how woul- !"

He was again silenced by the raise of his mentors hand. The hooded man then spoke: "This will be your first lesson apprentice. We are of the shadows, invisible, unseen. To give information to someone is to destroy your veil of protection. Everyone you have ever cared about can be found and destroyed, which in turn allows you enemies to destroy you. Under my wing you will learn to be invulnerable. Your first step to invincibility is to rid yourself of weakness. from this point forward everything about you will remain hidden, by doing this you not only protect yourself but others as well. Don't let your weakness destroy you Jaune listen to me and become strong."

Jaune took a moment to process what he had just been told. Before long he realized that this didn't just apply to him giving out his name, this meant everything. This guy basically just said Jaune would be completely devoid of all connections! he couldn't do that. Jaune then blurted out one of the most stupid things he could have said: '"are you sure, that sounds a little intense".

His mentor seemed unphased and replied with yet another lecture: "Jaune I have seen things terrible things. By passing on my wisdom I will spare you what I have endured. If you wish to become strong then you will never question me again. You will understand in time."

Jaune decided to took a seat, slightly unsatisfied with the answer. he then let out a groan before speaking in a voice of surrender: "Alright. I suppose i'm in it for the long haul now aren't I".

Over the course of the next hour as the flight progressed things proceeded much the same with jaune making stupid mistakes and his new mentor lecturing him on what he must become. The big points that stood out to jaune were that he was now to go completely incognito, he was to think with precise logic in everything that he did, and that he was to do anything necessary to protect what he fights for. However Jaune began to have an aching question burrow into his mind, what was he supposed to fight for?

After his mentor had finished delivering yet another bout of timeless knowledge jaune asked yet another poorly phrased question: " so umm what exactly am i supposed to fight for? should I fight for the government or us or what?"

His mentor stared at him and answered simply: " That is yet to be seen, you must decide in the future. For now though you have some other business to attend to. Go and write a letter to your family. This will likely be the last letter you write them so make it count".

Jaune sat their shocked realizing the reality of his situation. He then slowly trudged off to write the letter, ready to pour his soul onto the paper. When he looked at the paper he just didn't know where to begin eventually he managed to get the pen moving and just wrote.

 _Hey mom dad… it's Jaune. I was kicked out of beacon but it's okay. I have something else planned. You guys probably won't see me for awhile. I guess im going incognito or whatever. I'm sorry I need to do that but I need to get stronger and this is the only way. I love you. I will get stronger for you guys I promise. Goodbye._

Jaune sat there sobbing suddenly contemplating whether he would really do this. Just as he finished crying the airship landed. He joined his mentor who began exiting the ship. As they left Jaune gave the paper over to his new teacher.

As Jaune handed him the letter his mentor spoke: "Jaune now we head to Menagerie, there I will teach you to be strong. And remember why you are here Jaune. You are doing this to be strong".

His mentor began again after a brief pause as he guided Jaune to another even more impressive airship : "this is your last chance to turn back, after this your destiny is set".

Jaune responded confidently for the first time that day: "I am in it for the long run, whatever it takes to become stronger".

Then Jaune boarded the ship, ready for the strength he would soon obtain.


	2. pain

**Author's note: Wow I didn't think my story would this many views in just a day, that's pretty crazy. Anyway as always constructive criticism is greatly appreciated and hope you enjoy the story.**

Jaune awoke in the dimly lit quartersthat served as his temporary room. While consciousness quickly arose he gave his undivided attention to every one of his senses. Nausea was present which told him they were still in the air on an accused airship. He couldn't smell anything irregular with the exception of a musty stench emanating from the ship's engines. But then he heard it. A very faint but audible ticking " _tick tick tick"_.

Jaune instantly leapt out of his bed beelining straight to the door all the while keeping his senses acute for any irregularities. Just as he approached the door he heard a small pop signaling the trap had activated. However to jaunes delight he had escaped it! He then bellowed a triumph cry as he exited to the door. "WOO HOO, I JAUNE ARC HAVE CONQUE-"

His celebration was cut short as a plank of wood came plummeting down from the top of the doorway. "Ow ow ow".

Jaune slightly grimaced at the pain despite his attempts to resist. He knew he had failed yet another test. In reality this had been part of his training for the past week while they flew towards Menagerie. Jaune took a moment to recall the brutal procedures he was to endure on a day to day basis.

 _Flash Back_

Jaune and his mentor were sitting at a table as they began their journey out of vale. Jaunes mentor broke the silence as he began to explain jaunes first week of training. "Jaune we will begin your training by working on your perception. From this point forward you will examine every one of your senses at all times, by doing this you will gain incredible insight into the world. Once you have assessed your surroundings then you will put every ounce of information through a grinder of cold hard examination."

Jaune looked at his teacher and spoke all the while not realizing the true difficulty of the task he was just presented: "Alright sounds easy enough… BAM i'm doing it right now".

Jaunes mentor looked at him again his cold expression remaining unchanged as he slowly slipped off a glove: "Jaune look at my hand, what do you see".

Jaune still completely oblivious to the task set before him answered casually: "Well I see a hand, and it's kinda white I guess. Oh yea and it's also pretty big".

Jaune sat with a proud smile on his face happy with the incredible amount of information he had gleaned. However reality soon came crashing down as his mentor released another chilling lecture: "Jaune do not act like a fool, you have missed incredible amounts of information that could very well save your life".

Jaunes smile faded while the formidable man that sat in front of him dissected everything about his own hands. "Look at my hands with the utmost care. Notice the ragged skin, the tense muscles, the callouses on my right hand. All of these clues can tell you a great deal about me. Ragged skin implies extensive climbing. the calluses on my right hand hand clue you in on my dominant sword hand. Tense muscles imply stress and alertness. If you have enough skill you can dissect someone's entire fighting style just by looking at their hands. Think on this and act on it. Also be aware that others can gain information about you this way as well so take the utmost care to hide every detail. This means your face, your hands, and even your feet."

Jaune was completely amazed. Man this guy knew what he was talking about. But then something occurred to him, he was supposed to hide everything? Even his face! "Wait mentor how am I supposed to hide everything and what's this business about no faces, you're not even wearing a mask!"

The wise man responded with a lecture as always: "You will hide your body with clothes and gloves as I do. As for your face we will not wear masks so as not to arouse suspicion, to do so would be foolish. To hide your face you must become a blank canvas, expressionless like me. Begin by wiping that shocked expresion off your face."

 _End Flashback_

Jaune continued down the hall rubbing his slightly swollen head. He slowly approached the magnificent room where he had been training, A huge dome shaped chamber with stained windows in the ceiling that allowed glimmering light to pass through. He observed the intricate designs engraved on the windows and the glorious rays of sunshine which basked the stone floor in brilliant gold light. As he walked into the main chambre of the airship he made sure to return his face to it's now regular expression; a completely neutral face which concealed all information.

Jaunes mentor soon entered the chamber as well, ready to continue their most brutal session of training. Jaune saw that as his mentor approached he carried that damn bucket that he was so fond of, a slight sloshing sound could be heard as the water swayed inside it. The bucket was thrown down, it landed with a slight clunk. "Begin".

Jaune hated this however he had long moved past questioning his mentors techniques over the past week. slowly jaune placed his head into the bucket completely submerged in ice cold water. He stayed their for a solid four minutes, all the while his lungs were a scorching fury of pain. As he soon neared his limits and edged on unconsciousness he slowly lifted his head up and took in a few precious life saving gulps of air. To anyone watching it would seem that Jaune was a complete madman who was willingly drowning himself as some sort of sick execution. However Jaune understood full well what he was doing, it was rapidly racing through his head right at the moment to help quell the insanity that was brewing inside him. His mentor spoke with his ice cold voice: "Explain".

Jaune rose to his feet, slightly off balance and began to coldly speak the lines that were now thoroughly burrowed into his brain: "Pain is not a punishment, it is an instrument of change that compels us to grow stronger. While others grimace in pain we rejoice in it, for we know that it makes us stronger. When I feel pain it drives me forward because I know that pain is the embodiment of my bodies demands. While the ignorant see pain as a command to stop, we see pain as an overwhelming command to overcome the obstacles that stand in our way. A force that demands we move forward. I am not controlled by pain. Even in the depths of my despair I remain logical, efficient, strong. Our lives are pain. Our lives are a slow journey that moves in only one direction: Forward".

Jaune stood there still bearing an expressionless face. On the inside however he was pleased by his ever improving performance. On his first attempt he had collapsed on the floor completely out of his mind and unable to think, however now even in the worst depths of his torment he simply accepted the pain. After he had stopped trying to resist it and just accepted the torment his mind had remained clear and his body remained calm and ready.

His mentor spoke a single word that Jaune already knew was coming: "Repeat".

For the next hour Jaune was put through the grinder, he was even given tasks to complete while underwater to prove that he still had clarity in even the most difficult of circumstances. After his mentor was satisfied with Jaunes performance they launched into an equally difficult exercise. For the next four hours Jaune was commanded to use the full extent of his senses. He was forced to read facial expressions, body language, fighting techniques, anything that he may encounter that could help him glean information. After the fourth hour his mentor raised a hand and began to speak: "You have done well this week, already you are far stronger than before. Now go and rest, we arrive in Menagerie tomorrow their we will begin your training in earnest. Be prepared as this is the homeland of the faunus, and they will not take kindly to us".

Jaune sat their for a moment panting as he listened to his mentor's words. he then began his internal dialogue completely ignoring the comment about the faunus: "Holy crap a break! Woo hoo! it's been six days since my last break this is going to be great!".

Despite his internal delight Jaune remained neutral as his mentor had commanded and responded plainly: "Thank you mentor, I will go now".

Jaune dragged himself to his room and layed in his bed, completely exhausted. He began to mutter to himself after an hour out of sheer boredom:"Well I guess i'm not going to just sit here for ten hours I need something to do".

Out of the corner of his eye Jaune spotted one of the few possessions that he had brought with him, it was his guitar. When he saw it Jaune had a revelation, and a tear began to fall onto his cheek. That guitar was really the only thing he had left from his past life. He was incognito so it wasn't like he could call his friends or family. There was no way he could bring any video games with him on this kind of journey. Hell he wasn't even allowed to smile in front of others. Jaune cried a deep sob full of sorrow. But then he remembered his training and instantly gripped himself, he then stood and went to the mirror and stared at his own blank expressionless face. Then he began to speak his morbid monologue yet again: "Pain is not a punishment, it is an instrument of change that compels us to grow stronger. While others grimace in pain we rejoice in it, for we know that it makes us stronger. When I feel pain it drives me forward because I know that pain is the embodiment of my bodies demands. While the ignorant see pain as a command to stop, we see pain as an overwhelming command to overcome the obstacles that stand in our way. A force that demands we move forward. I am not controlled by pain. Even in the depths of my despair I remain logical, efficient, strong. Our lives are pain. Our lives are a slow journey that moves in only one direction: Forward"

Jaune continued looking in the mirror and began to speak again: "I am doing the right thing. I cant be a failure any more. I must be strong, I must be able to protect what I stand for. I am becoming stronger. I will be strong. I will be. I will be."

As Jaune began muttering off the last lines of self assurance he then made his way over to the guitar and began to play. Perhaps he was holding on to the last scrap of a normal life that he had, or perhaps he was simply passing the time. One thing was sure however, Jaune Arc was changing. This left a chilling question, what exactly was Jaune Arc turning into.


	3. Metamorphosis

**Authors Note: It has been pretty fun being able to my ideas for an alternate time line down on paper, I hope you the readers are having just as much fun as I am. As always constructive criticism and reviews are greatly appreciated.**

Shuddering could be heard as the massive ship landed, the steel frame tensing under its own weight. Jaune and his mentor had finally arrived after a long grueling week of air travel. The only thing that matched the discomfort of Jaunes air sick stomach was the aching of his mind. Jaune had absorbed an incredible amount of information over the past week and frankly it left him exhausted. As Jaune and his mentor exited the airship they immediately took in their surroundings, no detail left unnoticed. They had landed in a fairly small town that only covered perhaps one square mile. The rickety buildings were nothing more than shacks patched together from tin and rotten wood. The area they were in was nearly devoid of the familiar trees and grass that jaune was accustomed to, it was a a dry and dusty desert, completely desolate. Another detail that undoubtedly caught Jaunes eye was the unusual population of the town, everyone that he could see bore the staple ears and tail of the faunus. Of course this was to be expected as they were currently standing in the homeland of the unfortunate people who had been so thoroughly segregated and discriminated against.

Jaunes mentor spoke as they strolled down the ramp of the airship onto the dusty ground before them: "It is time that you endure your first test. Go order lunch then meet me at this location".

Jaunes mentor handed him a wallet containing 50 lien and a marked map. Just as his mentor was leaving he tossed Jaune one more item ; a pitch black cloak that was nearly identical to his own. "You will need this. And remember your training".

Although Jaunes face remained blank as his mentor said goodbye he was thoroughly confused. Jaune soon began an internal dialogue as he began to walk down the arid streets "What the heck is the big deal? He made it sound like this is life or death. Ordering lunch! Ha that's child play. You know what i'll bet he was talking about the journey to the training grounds".

At this revelation jaune took a look at the pocket map that was tucked away in his wallet. He began his internal dialogue yet again: "No that isn't it, this location is a mere three miles out of town, sure I'll need to walk bu-".

Jaune stopped mid sentence. His senses were on fire, something was wrong. He heard footsteps approach him from behind. This shouldn't be abnormal as he had passed by a few people over the course of the past minute, however these footsteps were different. He tuned his ears in closer and could tell the owner of those subtle steps were quickly approaching, all the while attempting to keep a calm quiet pace. Quickly his mind fell back on the training that had been drilled into his mind. "They are attempting to be stealthy which should imply that they aren't going for an active attack. Based on this style of approach I can assume that if they are set on combat they will likely rely heavily on finesse opposed to brute strength. I'm going to need more information if I am intent on snuffing out their intent".

Jaune risked a subtle glance behind him, the sight he saw gave him all the information he needed. It was a faunus girl, hardly more than a child probably around the age of thirteen: "She is young, which greatly reduces the likelihood of open combat. Based on her thin frame, ragged clothes, and less than clean face it is reasonable to assume she is going to attempt a pickpocket".

Jaune quickly secured his wallet at this revelation, but then he felt a pang of guilt as if his old child loving self was hammering his conscience. His depression deepened as he noticed the weary sunken eyes of the girl as she began to edge off. While still keeping his neutral demeanor he called out to the her: "You girl."

A look of fear spread across the young girl's face as Jaune turned to her she squeaked out an intimated response seemingly ready to bolt away: " what do you want human trash!"

Jaune stayed neutral despite the insult, realizing that she and all the others around here likely had a low opinion of him due to the discrimination humans had forced on to the faunus. Quickly Jaune took another look around his surroundings and noticed the dirty looks full of hatred that he was receiving from all of the streets occupants. He quickly slipped on his hood hoping it would provide some cover when he walked in the future. Before turning around and breaking into a swift walk out of the hostile situation Jaune took twenty lien out of his pocket and tossed it to the girl: " Stay off the streets kid."

Despite the illogical nature of what he had just done Jaune allowed a small feeling of peace to take over his subconscious. The shocked face of the girl who had likely never received such kindness still fresh in his mind. Jaune continued his brisk pace through the streets until reaching a worn down restaurant on the outskirts of town. The walk had been fairly uneventful with the exception of a few odd stares and the passing question of why he was wearing a hood. The few inquisitive pedestrians were far better than the hatred he would likely receive at the realization that he was a human. Jaune ordered and ate quickly, eager to leave town as fast as possible. However halfway through his meal he could feel prying eyes looking at him from behind.

The hearty warrior who was looking his way could see straight through his disguise and stated so in a gruff voice: "Oi you, what the hell is human scum doing in a place like this?"

At this Jaune abruptly placed his money on the table and scurried out of the restaurant before the formidable man had a chance to give him further trouble. However as Jaune made his way out of town and began his hike towards the training grounds his senses alerted him of someone closing fast. He quickly looked back intent on examining the situation. It was the man again his bulky frame closing in as he quickly walked in Jaunes direction: "oi you, human scum I want to talk to you".

Jaune didn't need his training to tell that this guy was hostile, he was closing fast and by the way he was gripping his sword it looked like he had intent to kill. Before Jaune could panic at the prospect of fighting an obviously more experienced and physically superior warrior, his training kicked in. He took a moment to analyze his surroundings and could tell the man was approaching an unsteady patch of rocks. Jaune quickly calculated in his mind the advantage this could provide him and came to the conclusion that it was necessary for him to fight. Jaune drew his sword and shield before letting out a mighty cry as he charged towards the man who was now a mere 100 feet away. The ragged warrior followed suit as he drew his own gargantuan sword, however as he went to charge at Jaune he stumbled on the unsteady terrain that now lay under his feet. Jaune knew this was his only opportunity for victory and quickly capitalized on it. The man was completely unbalanced now and his guard was down, before Jaune could fully understand what he was doing he brought his sword down in a mighty arc and logged it into the man's skull, killing him instantly.

Blood splattered the floor as jaune pulled his blade from the dead man's corpse, for a brief moment he felt elated. He had done it he had defeated his opponent and preserved his life. But then Jaune felt a deep sinking feeling in his stomach when he looked at the bloodied corpse that lay at his feet: "Oh my god, I killed a man!"

The emotions of regret and sorrow that were quickly filling jaunes soul were so great that he nearly collapsed on the spot. However the now familiar cold logic of his mind demanded that he move forward before he was discovered. Jaune spoke in a panicked frenzy as he approached the training grounds: "How could I, no no no. This isn't me i'm not a killer, im not im not".

Jaunes rant was cut short when he felt the sting of a hand smashing against his face. HIs mentor stood in front of Jaune. The sight of a crying boy about to fall to his knees was all too familiar: "Apprentice remember your training be strong. How can you be strong and protect this world when you can't even stand".

Jaune quickly realized his mistake and allowed his training to grip him. His face now remained cold and his voice calm.: "Yes mentor. I will not allow my emotions to make me weak again".

Jaunes mentor spoke again emphasizing his every word: " You are a killer now, I can see it in your eyes. Explain why."

The dark logic that now consumed Jaunes mind kicked in: "It was necessary for me to become stronger. My senses alerted me to a combatant who was intent on taking my life, it is impossible for me to become strong if I am dead".

As Jaune explained he could feel the panic and guilt begin to fade away. It was as if his soul was growing colder by the second. After he had completed his short heartless explanation his teacher simply noded before producing a small brown sack from his pocket: "Take this and consume the items within. We begin your training in earnest now. Before we begin you must promise me that from this point forward you will never be weak like you just were again. I will not invest my time in someone who refuses to go all the way".

Jaune gave a sharp nod before taking and examining the contents of the wool pouch. Inside the small sack there was a bottle of liquid the size of his fist and a glass container that held grinded up herbs. Jaune felt a morbid curiosity at just what it was he was about to consume. Before he could ask he heard his mentor's voice: "The herbs are an ancient medicine that enhances the mind. It will allow you to memorize information faster than what most people consider possible. You will take it for the next four months until you can replicate the effects with passive meditation. As for the liquid … that contains a high grade steroid that you will consume for the next two months. Not only will it allow you to train for extended periods of time it will also increase your physical endurances and strength. Not to mention the steroids along with aura regeneration will allow you to build muscle memory extremely quickly. Muscle memory that would normally take weeks to build can be obtained in a mere day".

Jaune briefly paused before he began to eat and drink the illicit substances presented to him. Although Jaune remained calm on the surface, underneath he could feel his emotions boiling yet again. Frankly this wasn't what he signed up for. Murder and Drugs? Perhaps this was going to far. But before Jaunes old self could come to the surface, the cold regimented training that he had endured for the past week smothered his rising emotions.

The next three weeks were a blur to Jaune. Improved combat was an understatement, it was as if he became a master warrior overnight ! Every day he would learn roughly a hundred new forms and techniques. Learning became as natural as breathing to him. His mentor would present him with a new technique and thanks to the herbs he would have it memorized instantly, then he would spend roughly ten minutes practicing it while using his aura to break down his muscles. After his muscles were sufficiently worn he would sit for about five minutes, allowing the steroids and his natural aura healing to repair his body. All of this led to instant and perfect Muscle memory. He simply rinsed and repeated for nearly three weeks straight. It was exhausting, Jaunes only breaks consisted of eating for ten minutes a day, sleeping for six hours, and going to the bathroom for five minutes. His sole retreat was Saturday, on that day of the week alone he was allowed to spend time with his guitar in peace. Despite the harsh nature of what he was doing Jaune relished every moment of his training. The knowledge that he was getting stronger was the sole reason he still remained sane. After the fourth week of his metamorphosis Jaune was a combatant to be feared. He had mastered five sword styles, he was proficient with the bow, and his strength and finesse allowed him to dodge at superhuman speeds. His body wasn't the only thing that improved, his mind had changed as well. Jaunes analytical skills and ability to improvise during combat were a force to be reckoned with, not to mention the fact that he was now nearly incapable of panic.

After a particularly difficult sparring session Jaunes mentor informed him that today was going to be different: "You have been with me for one month apprentice, it is time we draw out your semblance. This trial will be difficult but it will help grant you the power that you so desperately require".

 **End of Chapter 3**


	4. Raid

**Author's note: Sorry about the long wait I've had a ridiculous amount of stuff going on. As always constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. By the way if you want a visual of Jaunes outfit during the raid lookup ( daggerfall covenant cinematic character ) in google images his outfit looks like the assassin in the hood. Anyway here is the story.**

There was nothing but darkness. No sound, no light, no touch. Jaune was alone now. It had been twenty hours since he began his state of meditation. Jaune was a rock he thought of nothing, he payed the world no mind, he simply waited for his soul to speak his semblance as his mentor had instructed. The emptiness soon faded when Jaune neared his twenty first hour of meditation. Within the confines of his mind he saw it, a solitary flame inside a pit of darkness. Jaune payed the flame no mind, this was not the embodiment of his soul. The shadows around the flame were what captivated his entire being. The way they danced and played around the flame, their sly nature, the way they shifted from one place to the next as if they could teleport. This was who Jaune was, he was of the shadows.

Even before Jaune had become his mentors apprentice he had been a sly fellow, he never let his true feelings show. He would always put on a fake face. Hell Jaune had even snuck his way into beacon, there was no doubt that jaune had always been of the shadows. He was a dancer , someone who wasn't content with letting life have it's way. Someone who would go where he wanted, someone who would jump over the obstacles if he had to.

Slowly Jaune allowed the vision in his mind to enter his body so to speak. It was almost as if he could feel the embodiment of the shadows possessing him. Then without warning Jaune felt an abrupt physical change. He felt his body become one with the shadows. Black whisps of smoke surrounded him and he felt himself vanish. When he opened his eyes he saw blinding light opposed to the darkness that had concealed him for the past day. This was the moment Jaune uncovered his semblance, he could teleport.

His mentor who was conveniently located close by just outside of the building noticed him immediately: "I see that you have uncovered your semblance, and judging by the fact that you are outdoors I would wager that you have the gift of teleportation."

Jaune replied simply: "It appears so".

His teacher approached him slowly before helping Jaune to his feet: " Go and rest now, your extended meditation has likely taken a great toll on your mind. Tomorrow we will test the limits of your semblance, be ready for the upcoming trials, they will not be easy".

Jaune lumbered off to his room and quickly collapsed onto his bed after finally eating, drinking, and taking care of other natural needs. That night was a strange one, he was plagued by vivid dreams of shadows. He felt no fear, but he did feel a morbid curiosity. He saw himself pulling objects from the shadows, not quite creating them more so transporting them. He also saw himself fighting hordes of grim. As the hulking monster descended onto him he would simply slip through their teeth and claws, it was as if he himself was a shadow and that they were children trying to swat him away. The final dream that plagued his mind that night was not so easy to process however. He saw a shadow surrounded by light, it was as if the light was trying to invade the shadow, not quite capture but pull it apart and turn it into light. However the lights efforts were thwarted as the shadow ran and danced away, for some reason this filled Jaune with an overwhelming sadness, and he awoke with tears streaming down his cheeks. Jaune quickly disregarded the last dream as he allowed his mind to return to its normal emotionless state.

Jaune dressed in his normal training outfit, he donned a pitch black cloak with simple black clothes beneath, it was a bland outfit but it was certainly practical. As he approached his mentor he mentally prepared himself for every situation, this was now his regular routine for training. However even Jaune couldn't be prepared for what was about to happen, when his mentor gave him the simple task of repeating his action of teleportation from the previous day Jaune readily agreed. It was really quite simple for him to allow his semblance to take over thanks to the herbs which helped him to retain his perfect memory, but when Jaune teleported something peculiar happened. Once the shadows had finally faded from Jaunes body he felt a faint breeze, then he realized something. His training clothes lay crumpled on the floor from the point where Jaune had teleported. Jaune started to feel all the embarrassment of all his past mistakes start flooding in, specifically his old nickname vomit boy. But despite the blush that was desperately trying to reach his cheeks he stayed calm and stated in a voice that was as calm as ever: " well… this is going to be more tricky than I thought".

Jaune then watched as he saw the first hint of emotion he had ever seen emanate from his mentor, it was ever so slight but it was their. Jaune saw the slightest rise of his teachers chest as he contained what was likely the biggest laugh he had experienced in years. Despite his embarrassing situation Jaune couldn't but help share that internal chuckle.

Over the course of the day Jaune and his mentor began to dissect all the secrets of his new found semblance, it was really quite remarkable. Jaune could teleport up to 1000 feet, and he could do it in the blink of an eye. Also he had the ability to store items inside his own dimensional locker so to speak. Although he couldn't enter it himself he could store as much gear in it as he wanted. Jaune also uncovered that in order to put things inside his dimensional locker or to teleport objects with him he first had to run his aura through it for a few minutes to bind it to him, this helped explain his rather embarrassing predicament from earlier in the day. The first time Jaune had teleported he had spent hours running his aura through his clothes while he meditated, this fresh set had barely even touched his aura. Jaunes mentor wasted no time in developing a whole new scheme of fighting styles and abilities for Jaune. According to his mentor this was one of the most remarkable semblances he had ever seen. After a few hours of scheming Jaunes entire next week was planned out, by the end of that week his master insisted that Jaune would be a formidable foe to anyone he would cross paths with.

To say that the next week was difficult would be a tremendous understatement, Jaune was worked to the bone. Opposed to his normal six hours of sleep a day Jaune was now only allowed four, it was ridiculous to say the least. Despite the near impossible standards Jaune was required to uphold Jaune still managed to push on. Perhaps it was the drugs and his training to ignore pain, or perhaps it was his sheer will power, either way Jaune would not surrender and the progress he made because of his commitment was astounding.

By the time sunday came it was clear that Jaunes mentor had kept his word, Jaune was indeed a deadly foe. Over the course of the week Jaune developed the ability to use his semblance in the midst of combat, he could teleport in midair while keeping his momentum which allowed for deadly power attacks, he could also use his movements to obscure his true intent. For example while fighting a beowolf earlier in the week he had purposely turned around which left his back entirely exposed, as the beo wolf lunged at him he had teleported backwards four feet and slashed its tendons which allowed an easy victory for Jaune. Jaune also discovered some other unexpected advantages of his semblance, he could teleport pressurized dust from his personal locker which allowed him to breath fire and and produce flames from his hands. Yet Another advantage was his ability to produce weapons and armour from his personal locker which allowed him to go from a normal civilian to a masked and armed warrior in a matter of seconds. And finally perhaps the simplest uses of his semblance was his ability to travel from one place to another quickly without being seen, this improved his stealth greatly.

After his week of training was over Jaune awoke from a deep slumber on sunday morning, eagerly awaiting his well deserved day off. As he approached the training grounds kitchen he was intercepted by his mentor: "Apprentice tomorrow you will receive another test, I have uncovered reports that the white fang has set up a temporary base near our location. Apparently they have rounded up a few groups of local families who refused to lend any support to their cause. Your task is to go to this temporary base which I will mark on your map and to handle the situation however you see fit. If we have not been wasting the past Month and half then you will know what to do."

Jaune nodded in response to his mentor before entering the kitchen. Over the course of the day he went through his regular routine of rest, he ate, took a nap, showered, and played his guitar. All the while he mentally prepared himself for the upcoming day, wary of the lives that he may take.

Jaune arose early the next morning, he arrived at the enemy compound long before the sun had risen. It was a fairly large building with three stories located in the middle of a particularly rocky canyon. There was a single dirt road that ran towards the building, Jaune could see the intent of this location quite clearly. The single road would allowed for the guards to see anyone who entered, and it would be impossible to climb down the canyon walls without being spotted. It was formidable defense that would ensure an early warning for the troops in the fort. However what the white fang couldn't predict was Jaunes rather unique ability to teleport . Jaune took a moment before beginning his assault in order to examine the compound with a telescope. After only a few minutes of analysis Jaune had spotted each of the five soldiers that were guarding his objective. One guard was stationed behind the building, another in the front right outside the door, he also spotted two on the roof, and one circling around the outside of the compound scanning the rocks. Jaune quickly formulated a plan, but he felt a slight hesitation. Part of him was still unsure about killing, his old self was begging him to reconsider. Just as suddenly as his protests arrived they soon ended. He saw a sight through his telescope that filled every crevice of his soul with rage. Inside a window he saw a young girl being thrown into a room by a white fang soldier, and then he saw her crying all alone. Any mercy he felt before had faded, now he was back to his normal self. A machine of pure analysis, a killer of the highest class.

Jaunes assault was merciless, efficient, and deadly. He began by teleporting to the rocks for cover, soon after he arrived on the roof directly behind one of the soldiers. In an instant he had summoned a knife from his personal locker and slit the man's throat, a slight gurgling could be heard as the life faded from the soldiers broken body. The second guard on the roof turned just in time to see a knife flying straight for his face, the aura enhanced blade blew clean through the guards skull and killed him instantly. Jaune then turned his attention to the soldiers on the ground, he quickly summoned a bow, he laced an arrow with his aura before letting it fly clean through the rear guards armour and heart. The woman crumpled to the ground in bloodied heap. The guard on patrol was just rounding the corner when he spotted his fallen comrade, but before he could cry out at his friend's death he soon joined her. Jaunes arrow penetrated straight through the guards helmet thanks to the extra force supplied by jaune's aura. the guards skull was nothing more than shattered bone now. Jaune then turned his attention to the final guard who was still standing by the door, she was completely oblivious. Jaune spared no time in dispatching of her, he teleported straight behind her and snapped her neck without hesitation, the only sound that emanated from her was a slight cracking noise. With the outside of the compound secure Jaune took a moment to reflect on what he had just done, in two minutes he had killed five people without mercy. Surprisingly Jaune felt very little, in this moment he was the judge and jury. His word was law, and the law was that all rats who would harm the innocent must die.

The cover of darkness and Jaunes undeniable skill had allowed him to stay undetected thus far, he used this to his advantage as he summoned a pair of heat seeking goggles which he had stored in his personal armoury. He used his equipment to scout out the inside of the building, from what he could observe their were an additional fifteen guards in the compound as well as a dozen figures which appeared to be bound. Jaune put the goggles back into his dimensional locker before proceeding to clear out the building. He went room by room , silently killing each opponent he encountered before they even realised he was their, he gave no mercy. After another fifteen minutes of gruesome combat only two guards remained, they were standing idly by the room that contained the hostages. jaune summoned two knives before stepping into the hallway. By this point his hands were covered in the blood of his enemies. He could see the guards heart drop when they saw him, it was a terrifying sight indeed. Before them stood a hooded and masked figure covered in blood. They both began to raise their guns to fire but it was already too late. Jaune teleported straight behind the two men, with his back facing them he stabbed one through the heart killing him instantly, he then stabbed the second soldier in the spine paralyzing him. Once the now crippled man felt to the floor Jaune took a moment and looked him straight in the eyes. He saw the fear and pain, he saw the revelation that the man knew it was over. When Jaune looked into the man's eyes he felt nothing and his face showed nothing. A single tear ran down the man cheek, then jaune finished him by snapping his neck. Jaune rose to his feet and unlocked the door the men had given their lives to protect. He heard terrified screams as the families saw him. His eyes which remained uncovered by his masks showed nothing, he threw one of the bound figures a knife to cut the ropes, then he simply walked away.

That night Jaune took his time heading back to the training grounds, he reflected heavily on the events of the past half hour. He came to only one conclusion. He himself was evil, but he was evil out of necessity. He had no mercy, no feelings, everything about him was dead. Despite this dark revelation Jaune felt pride, he knew now for certain that he truly was strong and that he was only getting stronger.


End file.
